2010 NAMM Show Closing Release: Music Products Industry Gathers for a Comeback

New Decade Brings Hope for Manufacturers and Retailers of Music Products as NAMM Show Attendance Increases Following the Worst Economic Year in Recent Memory

Carlsbad, CA

January 18, 2010

The National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) today announced the final registration and exhibitor numbers for the 2010 NAMM Show, the longest-running trade show in the United States. At show close, NAMM reported 87,569 registrants, a 2 percent increase from last year. International registration experienced a 2 percent decrease from last year.

Even in economically challenging times, the association reported 1,373 exhibitors at this year’s show, including nearly 250 new exhibitors—a new record number in the event’s 108-year history, showing a surge in market enthusiasm.

The annual trade show is the place where music products retailers meet face-to-face with manufacturers to make their biggest purchases or gain product knowledge for their stores in the year ahead.

“This year’s NAMM Show marks a critical turning point for the international music products industry,” said NAMM President and CEO Joe Lamond. “A strong NAMM Show signals the beginning of a comeback with buyers returning to their hometowns with renewed energy, passion and hope for a strong 2010, and exhibitors enjoying strong floor traffic and sales as they introduced hundreds of new and innovative products to the market.”

The high-energy event featured Quincy Jones and Yoko Ono, who spoke on behalf of the importance of music education for children. Ono also celebrated the 70th anniversary of John Lennon’s birth at a press conference held on the Thursday.

Other events included highly attended mentoring sessions for music products retailers; performances by Jason Mraz and Ted Nugent; and celebrity appearances by Julianne Hough of Dancing with the Stars, Slash of Guns and Roses and Velvet Revolver, Eddie Van Halen, Chad Smith of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Stevie Wonder, Orianthi and Gene Simmons of KISS and hundreds of touring artists and band members. Yamaha Corporation of America celebrated its 50th anniversary in the United States with a star-filled dealer concert featuring Vince Gill, Michael McDonald, Natalie Cole, John Ondrasik, Jon McLaughlin and Jason Mraz.

Themed “Get Ready,” the trade show offered attendees the opportunity to reunite with industry peers, learn the latest business and marketing tactics and trends at daily NAMM University sessions, and ultimately make their biggest business deals for the year ahead.

Exhibiting product manufacturers had good feedback about their business at the show.

"We are extremely pleased with our retailers’ response to this year's show in general, and our product offering in particular,” said Paul Jernigan, vice president of global channel marketing at Fender Musical Instruments Corp. “The overall feeling we have received from our customers and business partners is overwhelmingly positive. Additionally, we are impressed, as always, with the entire NAMM organization. This has to rank as one of the best shows we've attended, and we're proud to be a part of it."

“Our booth was packed from day one, and our dealers had a level of energy and enthusiasm here at the NAMM show that I found very exciting, said Rick Young, senior vice president of Yamaha Corporation of America. “Given what we’ve all experienced this past year, Yamaha is very grateful for the warm reception we received for our new products, programs and services. Now this very positive feeling has to be transferred to the sales floor.”

"The show has been great. We have been packed like crazy since the show opened or even actually a little beforehand,” said Kristina Hodgson of Shure Inc. in Niles, Ill. “Lots of great questions, lots of people being interested in our product, trying things out. It’s been a great show. We have a lot of old friends stopping by and filling out orders, so it’s been a really great sales show for us, and then a lot of new connections as well, so hopefully towards the future we’ll get some more good business. We’ve got a lot of artist signings and they’ve been amazingly popular. Very good show for us and definitely NAMM is busier than many of us remember in lots of years.”

"Roland was very pleased with the results of the NAMM Show,” said Dennis Houilhan, president of Roland Corp. US. “There was a definite positive attitude from retailers and a genuine optimism for a better 2010 ahead. The response to all our new products and technologies was strong. NAMM's theme was "Get Ready!" Dealers were ready to buy and get 2010 off to a strong start."

“The show’s been going good,” said Jason Lee of Everly Music in North Hollywood, Calif.

“We have a lot of meetings with everybody. This show seems to be a lot more exciting than last year. I think it’s on the up-and-up with the economy, and we have a lot of new products out so it's going good. It’s where we’re going to introduce a lot of the new strings, a lot of the new designs. We go to a lot of meetings at night, but we were out at a show last night, it was fun to see old friends."

“It’s going fantastic,” said Don Harrington of Rhythm Ring in San Diego, Calif. “We’ve got great feedback, great response, made some good relationships. It’s our first year here, so we’re doing pretty well. We did a little social media marketing to pump it up a little bit, but it’s just first-time attendees and we’re doing really great.”

“It’s going very well,” said Andrew Naumann of Schilke Music Products in Melrose Park, Ill. “I think this year’s very positive. It’s fantastic for us. Everyone seemed very upbeat and that was nice to see.”

Retailers at the NAMM Show were also quite enthusiastic about what they were seeing.

“Business has been very good,” said Brian Marsh with idjnow, a pro audio, lighting and video company. “It’s been a very progressive show so far. A lot of manufacturers are coming out with a lot of innovative new products. For us Numark happens to be one of the ones that is standing out.”

Dow Ferguson, owner of a brand new online music store thelutherie.net, said the last time he came to the NAMM Show was in 1973 when it was in San Francisco. Now he is looking for companies who will ship product directly to his new online customers.

“I wanted to tie down some string companies that will drop ship them to save costs and make it easier for me and for the customer,” Ferguson said.

“My business has been good so far at the show,” said Kevin Kuptz of Ingnited Light and Sound. “We’ve been able to pick up a couple of new lines of pro audio equipment and we’ve had more business and less extra people around.”

The next NAMM trade is Summer NAMM , which will be held June 18-20, 2010 in Nashville, TN. for more information, visit namm.org.